Internal-combustion engine



May 20, 1930. s, SUEKOFF 1,759,425'

I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 1928 Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED STATES SAMUEL SUEKOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Application filed June 6, 1928. Serial No. 283,261.

This invention relates to improvements in ignition systems for internal combustion en gines, and more particularly to an ignition system providing for two spark plugs for each cylinder and a governor-regulated circuit controller whereby. either or both of said spark plugs are cut into and out of circuit at predetermined speeds of the engine.

The present disclosure constitutes a further improvement in the type of engine shown and described in my application filed on April 26, 1928, Serial No. 272,869, wherein the same differs primarily from the standard desigfi 'of engine in that it is provided with an elongated or tortuous combustion chamber or passage extending from the inlet port to the clearance space at the top of the cylinder, this passage being preferably formed in the cylinder head. It was explained in said application, that the purpose of this elongated combustion chamber was to prolong the period of combustion of the by drocarbon mixture to the end that the force of the expanding gases would be exerted on the piston throughout a materially greater portion of its power stroke, thus increasing the efficiency and the powers developed. As previously disclosed, the hydrocarbon mixture was taken through an inlet valve, hav

ing been previously compressed in a compressor located between the carburetor and the inlet manifold, and then ignited by a spark plug located at the end of the'combustion passage adjacent the inlet valve. Wh le such an arrangement would be quite satisfactory for certain speeds, better results would be obtained if the charge were ignited at different points along the combustion passage by using two spark plugs, one at the mlet end of the passage and the other in the clearance space where it is ordinarily located. And finally, it is proposed to control the high tension ignition circuit to these plugs by means of a governor-regulated circuit closer or contact member whereby one plug would be active through a definite range of speeds,

the other through another range, and both active through a third range of speeds.

The present invention, therefore, pertams to an engine provided with an elongated combustion passage, two or more spark plugs for igniting the mixture, and means for automatically cutting in or out these plugs at different engine speeds.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general view in vertical section through the upper portionof a cylinder, showing the preferred cylinder head construction.

Figure 2 is a view of the governor-controlled circuit 'c losing member, the contacts and wiring being shown diagrammatically.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the contacts in the several positions.

With the exception of the cylinder head or heads, the engine does not differ in design from the standard four-cycle internal combust-ion motor used for automotive purposes. The engine may have any number of cylinders, these being preferably of the so-called T-head type with the inlet valve on the left and the exhaust valve on the right (Figure 1).

The usual poppet type of valve is used, and manifolds leading to and from the inlet and exhaust ports, respectively. The cylinder is water-cooled and the pistons connecting said crank shafts are all of the standard design, and therefore these features need not be described in detail. The cylinder head 1,-as distinguished from the cylinder block 2 is a metal casting extending over and bolted to the cylinder block, including the inlet valve 3 (left) and exhaust valve 4 (right), (the term valve including the ports, passages and valve member for convenience). In the cylinder head is formed a narrow circuitous or tortuous passage 5, in this case of U-shape, one branch 5 extending transversely across the top of the head and thence doubling back and under to form the other branch 5". The upper branch 5 of the passage leads from a chamber 6 immediately over the inlet valve and projecting into this chamber is one of the spark plugs B. The lower branch 5 of the passage opens downwardly at the end into a clearance space 7 extending over the top of the cylinder, and including a chamber 8 over the exhaust valve. Projecting into the chamber 8 and above the exhaust valve 4 is the other spark plug A.

Without explaining in detail the events which constitute a complete cycle of events in a four-cycle engine, it'will suflice to say that a charge of the explosive mixture is taken in during the suction stroke, com pressed on the following stroke, ignited at or slightly before the commencement of the power stroke andthen exhausted, the valves being timed to open and close at the proper intervals in the cycle. Hence, regardlessof whether the charge is drawn by suction or forced into the cylinder, it follows that when the inlet valve opens, the charge fills the elongated combustion passage 5 as well as the space above the piston. For .reasons explained in my previous application, it is preferred to force the charge into the cylinder under pressure, but for the purpose of the present disclosure it may be simply assumed that a full charge is taken in during each suction stroke.

When this charge has been compressed by the upward stroke of the piston, it is ignited by the firing of one or both of the spark plugs. W

= Referring now to the preferred method of ignition, it is apparent that if the charge is i ited at plug B, combustion will start at t e point remote from-the piston and travel along the passage 5, forcing the unignited gases ahead of it until the entire charge'is i ited. This interval of time required for t etravel or propagation of'the flame along the passage is appreciable, thereby givin the piston time to travel downwardly throug out a greater portion of the stroke before the full power impulse isdelivered. Quite the same result is attained by ignitingthe charge at plug A, except that the initial combustion takes place in the clearance space adjacent the piston and travels back toward the inlet valve, so that while there is a retardation in the combustion, the initial power impulse is greater owing to the larger volume of the clearance space. And finally, if the charge is i ited simultaneously at both plugs, the com ustion will be accelerated but with the advantage of an increased initial impulse coupled with a continuing pressure as the gases in the passage 5 expand and are driven intothe clearance space.

Thus it follows that for the lowerspeeds of the engine, the ignition at plug A is preferred; for medium or ordinary speeds, ignition-a-t plug B gives better results, and for high speeds, ignition at both plugs A and B is desirable for maximum efliciency, the reason being that as the piston speed increases the rate of combustion must be increased i 1 somewhat but not to the extent of sacrificing tension circuit to the spark plug, the apparatus shown in Figure 2 is used. The basis of this apparatus is a typical form of fly ball governor driven from a countershaft of the engine, and therefore at a speed proportional to the crankshaft speed. As shown, the governor consists of a vertical shaft or spindle '8 journalled in a spherical or other suitably links l t-14, the opposite endsofsaid links being pivotally connected with another pair of links 1515 likewise pivotally connected with a sliding collar 16 on the spindle. At the "pivot points between the pairs of links, are' weights 1717. A coil spring 18 surrounds the spindle 8 and forces the sliding collar 16 upwardly, thus flexing the links toward a straight line position. The spindle 8 extends upwardly through the *topof the casing 9 and journalled at its upper end in a bearing bracket 9 integral with the casing 9. Mounted on the upper portion of the spindle is a sleeve 19 forming an extension of the collar 16, and operatively connected with a I contact arm or circuit closing member 20 pivoted at one end to the bearing bracket 9 at 20 and straddling the sleeve 19 adjacent its pivotal support at 20 between spaced ableinsulated casing and positioned in-line with the path of the contact arm'and at a point 1n the ignition circuit between the battery B and the high tension coils G, C. The conductor or wire leading from the battery and indicated as 23, terminates at a contact- 24, consisting ofa metal strip having an upwardly offset tip portion 24 with a contact point 24* on its upper side. Just above the contact 24 is a shorter contact 25 having a contact point 25 at its end and projecting downwardly in contact with a point 24 on the upper side 'of the contact 24. A conductor 26 leads from the contact 25 to the primary of the coil 0 through an intermediate circuit breaker c operated from the shaft of a distributor D to which the sec ondary circuit of the coil C is led. The distributor D is of the standard type for a four-cylinder engine, one lead therefrom being to spark plug A, corresponding to that shown in Figure 1.

Immediately above and parallel with contact is another and longer contact 27 having a point 27 on its under side and near its end, normally spaced from but opposite point 24 at the end of contact 24. A conductor 28 leads from contact27 to spark plug B through a duplicate arrangement of coil,

. in parallel.

Assuming that the engine is operating at a low speed, the governor mechanism will occupy the positions shown in Figure 2 in which the contact arm 20 is elevated to a horizontal position with the roller 22 lifted free of the contacts below. In this position the circuit is closed through spark plug A by the contact of points 24 and 25 on contacts 24 and 25, respectively. Thus for low engine speeds, the ignition in all cylinders will occur at spark plugs A. Now as the speed of the engine is increased, the governor acts to draw the contact arm 20 downwardly, and roller 22 against the end of the upper contact 25, which being resilient, is depressed and a circuit is closed across points 22 and 24 and simultaneously opening the circuit across points 25 and 24 This circuit closing and opening transfers the ignition from plug A to plug B, as will be readily seen from tracing the circuits from the several contacts involved. I

Finally, as the speed of the engine is increased to maximum, the arm 20 will-be still further depressed until contact is made across points 24 and 29, thus closingthe circuit through contacts 24 and 29, with the result that both plugs A and B will fire in the cylinder. Manifestly, as the speed is reduced from the maximum to low ranges, the c011- tacts will be broken and made in the reverse I order so that the desired ignition is obtained under all conditions of operation.

In order to facilitate a quicker making and breaking of the contacts which transfers the firing from one spark plug to the other, a

- spring arm 31 is preferably used in conjunction with the contact arm 20. This arm 31 is a strip of spring metal fixed at its upper end as at 31 and depending vertically adjacent the end of the contact-,Larm 20. A camlike projection 32 is mounted on the arm 81 in the path of the roller 21, so that as the arm 20 is depressed, the roller will momentarily be held by the projection 32 until the downward pressure thereon overcomes the, tension in the spring arm 31, whereupon the contact arm is suddenly released, thus imparting a quick or snap action in its movement. Moreover, by the arrangement of the contacts so that one is made before the preceding contact is broken, any interruption in the explosions in the cylinder will be avoided as the ignition is being shifted from one spark plug to the other. This precaution is not essential when the shift is being made from one plug to both, and vice versa, since there will be at least one plug firing at all times and therefore no possibility of interrupted explosions.

From the foregoing disclosure, it follows that by combining the double spark'arrangement with an elongated combustion passage and an automatic control of the ignition at the plugs, the full advantage claimed for the prolonged combustion is attained, namely, maximum efiiciency and power developed at all speeds.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an internal combustion'engine, the combination of a cylinder, a plurality of spark plugs mounted in the head of the cylinder, and an ignition system comprisingliigh tension circuits including each spark plug and low tension circuits including a battery, and g0vernor-controlled contact members acting to close the circuit through either or both of said low tension circuits at predetermined speed ranges of said engine.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having an elongated combustion chamber, spark plugs mounted in the head of the cylinder and at points along said combustion chamber, and

.- an ignition system comprising high tension coils, the secondary circuit of each coil i11- cluding one of said spark plu 's, and a governor-controlled contact'mei-iiber acting to close the circuit through either or both of the low primary circuits of said coils at predetermined speed ranges of said engine.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having an elongated combustion passage extending from the inlet valve to the clearance space of said cylinder, a spark plug located at the inlet end of said passage, another spark plug located in said clearance space, an ignition system comprising high and low tension circuits, each of said high tension circuits including one of said spark plugs, a governor driven by said engine, and a switch mechanism operatively connected with said governor and included in said low tension circuits to control the firing of either or both of said spark plugs.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having an elongated,combustion passage extending from III a switch member operatively connected with a said governor, and a plurality of contacts in circuit with the primary circuits of said coils and adapted to be opened and closed by said switch member.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the

speed, and to close the circuit throu h both primary circuits at a predetermine -maximum speed of said motor.

Signed at Chicago, 111., this 4th day of J une, 1928. 7o

SAMUEL SUEKOFF.

combination of a cylinder, a plurality of spark plugs mounted at different points in the cylinder head, high tension coils for each of said spark plugs comprising a series of terminal contacts and conductors arranged to close the primary circuits of said coils separately or simultaneously, a governor driven by sald engine, and a switch member-operative by saidgovernor to shift said contacts to open and close said primary circuits in predetermined order at different speeds of said engine.

6. In an ignition system for internal combustion motors, the combination of a plurality of high tension coils, a spark plug in the secondary circuit of each coil, a battery in circuit with the primary circuits of said coils, a series of resilient circuit closing members in the battery circuit to said primary circuits of said coils, and normally arranged to close the circuit through one of said primary circuits, and means controlled by the speed of the motor for opening the circuit through said normally closed primary, circuit and closing the circuit through the other primary circuit at one predetermined speed, and for closingthe circuit through both primary circuits at another predetermined speed.

7. In an ignition system for internal combustion motors, the combination of a pair of high tension coils, a spark plug in the secondary, and a circuit breaker in the primary circuit of each coil, a battery common to the primary-circuits of said coils, a series of resilient contact members in circuit with said battery and primary circuits, one of said contact members being connected withthe battery and normally closing the circuit through the primary circuit of one coil by contact with a second contact electrically connected therewith, a third contact member connected in parallel with said second contact member and normally out of contact with said first contact member, a fourth contact member connected with the primary circuit of the other coil and normally out of contact circuit and close the circuit through the other primary circuit at a predetermined increased 

